


Tell Me That You'll Wait For Me

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/F, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-10-07
Updated: 2005-10-07
Packaged: 2019-05-31 10:41:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15117668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: It sounded a bit needy, if Lauren was honest with herself, it was much  more a question that would come from her lips.





	Tell Me That You'll Wait For Me

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**Tell Me That You'll Wait For Me**

**by:** Montiese 

**Pairing(s):** Nancy/Lauren  
**Category(s):** Romance/Slash  
**Rating:** YTEEN  
**Summary:** It sounded a bit needy, if Lauren was honest with herself, it was much more a question that would come from her lips.  
**Author's Note:** This is #13 in the **Love Connection** Series.  It was partially inspired by one of my favorite songs, John Denver’s _Leaving on a Jet Plane_

Lauren made a mad dash for the phone as she came out of the shower.  She already knew who it was and they hadn’t spoken for almost a day and a half.  She dove onto the bed, somehow managing to grab the cordless and turn it on in one fluid movement.  It was being a mother that helped her do these things…she was used to having Fitz in one hand and something else in the other.

“Hello.” She didn’t want to sound out of breath.

“I didn’t know the Boston Marathon was today.  Did you win?”

“When did you get so funny?  Hello love.”

“What time is it there?” Nancy asked.

“Um, wait…almost 3 in the afternoon.  What about where you are?”

“I don’t know.  It’s morning, I can tell you that and we just got to Bangkok.  I am in another strange hotel room with a whole bunch of people around me who speak English.  That is just so damn weird to me.  When I was a child, I would watch things on TV about foreign places or see it in National Geographic magazine and it was supposed to be exotic, intoxicating and strange.  Everyone was not supposed to speak English and wear Marc Jacobs and Nikes.”

“You're tired; you’re babbling.  Did you get a FedEx envelope at the front desk?” Lauren asked.

“Mmm hmm.  How did you know?”

“They're from Fitz…he couldn’t resist sending you something.”

“Is it really.  Hold on, let me grab it; I know I have it here somewhere.  Hold on baby.”

Lauren heard rustling and a few muffled expletives on the other end of the phone as she waited for Nancy to come back.  As least it gave her the opportunity to relax a bit against the pillows and pull her robe tighter around her as it began to fall away.

“Aha ha ha!  I got it.  What is it?”

“Open it, its right in front of you.  You should have seen him at the FedEx place yesterday; all efficient and commanding…he is quite the little man.” Lauren said.

She could hear Nancy tearing the packaging open and then a gasp.

“Aw baby, these are great.”

She was staring at the art of her three-year-old son.  Fitz was a good artist; he took time and pride with his work.  Lauren was determined to believe he had the creative gene she was blessed with.  Nancy had been on this Asian tour for almost six days and there was another six to go.  The morning she left, the car came at five thirty to take her to Andrews AFB.  From there she, President Santos, and other advisors were heading to Tokyo.  Then there was Kyoto, Seoul, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Beijing, Ho Chi Minh City, and a few other places that had left the scope of Nancy’s mind as she leaned over the sleeping woman she loved and attempted to say a quick goodbye.

“I love you Lauren.”

"Love you too.” She whispered.  “Be safe, and call me.”

“I will.  Don’t wake up, but I wish I could hold you.”

“Mmm hmm.”

Lauren had never been a morning person.  Nancy smiled, kissing her once more before heading out of the bedroom and downstairs to the kitchen.  She would grab a large travel mug of coffee before going.  Nothing surprised her more than the sight of Fitz sitting on the couch still dressed in his Toy Story pajamas.  He was wearing a blue spring jacket that was a gift from his grandfather, Wellies, and carrying a Blue’s Clues backpack.

“Muffin, what are you doing?” Nancy asked as thunder rumbled across the sky.

Great, Nancy thought, up on Air Force One in a damn storm.  She had done that too much and it was old the second time around.

“I'm going with you mommy.”

“No, you can't.”

“I don’t want you to leave us.” Fitz said.

“I'm not leaving you…I have a job to do.”

“Your job sucks.” He muttered.

“Hey, language.  It does not…OK sometimes it does and this is one of those times.  I have to go away for two weeks but I’ll be back.”

“That’s so long.” Fitz whined.

He rarely whined and it broke Nancy’s heart.  God, she was someone’s mother, and she had so many other things to consider.  What was she thinking when she took this job again.

“If I take you all over Asia, who is going to stay with mummy?”

“I dunno.” Fitz muttered.

“Do you want mummy to be alone?” Nancy asked.

“No, I love mummy.”

“Of course you do, and you two will keep other company until I get back.  It seems like a long time but I promise it won't be.  I will call you every night to say hello.  Give mommy a hug.”

Fitz hugged her as Nancy crouched in the living room.  She ran her hands through his curly afro and smiled as he did the grin that made him look just like his mother.  How had they gotten so attached to each other?  The bond between mother and child was weird.  It wasn’t that he and Lauren weren’t close, because they were.  He had both of the women wrapped around his finger.

“I have to go muffin; the car is outside and its time.  You wanna go sleep with mummy?”

Fitz nodded and Nancy took his hand to lead him up the master bedroom.  She opened the door and lifted him onto the bed.

“Lauren, take the baby.” She whispered.

“I'm not a baby; I'm three.” Fitz said.

“OK, you're not a baby.  I have to go, really.  Kiss mommy goodbye.”

Fitz kissed her and she shared another kiss with the sleeping Lauren.  How bad did Nancy want to crawl back into that bed?  A sleepy, rainy morning with her wife and her son.  She sighed as she closed the door on her life and went to do her job.

“Lauren, these are really good.  Though I have no earthly idea what they are.  Wait, one is a mountain.”

“Yeah, its something he saw on TV.  He said it was Mount Kilimanjaro, though I don’t think lava spews from the top of it.”

“Its impressionist.” Nancy replied.  “They’re lovely; I am going to put them in my suitcase and then frame them in my office when I get home.  Where is he now?”

“The park with Brian.  He really likes him Nancy and I think it is good for him to be around a younger guy…so he can learn stuff.”

“Like what, how to wear his pants slung low and mangle the English language?”

“He will never mangle the English language as long as we are his mothers.” Lauren replied.

“I don’t like the way Brian looks at you.”

“Don’t you start.  He doesn’t look at me like anything.  He is a nice guy trying to earn some money because living in the District can get expensive.”

“Wow, our kid is his part-time job.” Nancy said.

“I'm not listening to you when you are like this.  What’s the matter boo boo?”

“The matter?  I am in Bangkok for fucks sake!  I mean, not that there is anything wrong with Bangkok, you know really.  But I don’t know what day it is, I am sick to death of meetings and rhetoric and Josh Lyman.  I just want to come home.”

“What did Josh do?  I thought you loved Josh.”

Nancy sighed and Lauren suddenly wished she were in front of her so she could massage her shoulders.  Even from hundreds of thousands of miles away she could feel the tension in Nancy’s muscles.

“I just hate everyone right now…twelve days away from home.  What’s happening there?”

“Nothing.  I'm working on some articles and Maggie came over for dinner last night.  Fitz entertained her with the dancing he does to those Sinatra albums.  NBC offered me a job.”

“What!  When?”

“Yesterday afternoon; I respectfully declined.  I am enjoying my writing and my freedom and being with my son.”

“I don’t have any of that.” Nancy said in a snippy tone.  “I haven’t written anything in so long I am not even sure I can anymore.  I have no freedom, and I never see Fitz.”

“You're feeling sorry for yourself, though I understand and I sympathize.  We are going to be here when you get back and we are going to remind you of how loved you are.”

“How loved am I?” Nancy asked.

Lauren was taken aback by the question.  She had never asked anything even remotely like that before.  It sounded a bit needy; if Lauren was honest with herself, it was much more of a question that would come from her lips.

“You're OK.” She replied smiling.  “You make the best coffee I have ever had, and a killer meatloaf.”

“Don’t tease me.” Nancy replied.

She sounded so tired and Lauren just wanted to wrap her up in her arms and make her relax with inane stories or important ones.  It didn’t always matter to Nancy, she just liked to hear the voice.

“I love you more than anything Nance.  I miss you like…I can't even find the words.  I am sleeping alone in a big bed; Fitz usually crawls in with me.  I have no one to bicker with, no one to laugh with, and no one to shower with.  I hear songs on the radio and I want you near me.  Lesley Stahl was on last night and I turned her off like I always do when  you're here and drooling over her.  We can't wait for you to come home…our family is not complete without you.”

Nancy took a deep breath.  Lauren heard her lie back on the bed.  A five star hotel she was sure and the bed made noise.

“Why don’t you have some entertainment this evening boo boo?  I am sure there is lots to do in a lovely foreign city.”

“Bangkok is lovely, and it does have some of the best restaurants in Asia.  But to be honest I am not in the mood to be offered sex with every course.  I think I’ll have something in my room with Doug.”

“I'm glad he is with you.” Lauren replied.  “Are you sure you're alright?”

“Tell me that you’ll wait for me.” Nancy said.

“What?  What do you mean?”

“Tell me that you'll wait for me Lauren.” She repeated.

“Oh God, you are no longer allowed to download John Denver into your IPod.”

Nancy smirked, but she sounded sad.

“I will wait for you, forever.  I don’t like that you're far away and unhappy.  I need to hear you laugh.”

“Not today baby; I'm beat to hell and I should be somewhere in about an hour.  Sorry I didn’t call yesterday.”

“I know you're busy…I tried to keep myself busy to distract me from the non-ringing telephone.  When will you be home?”

“Um, what day is this Lauren?”

“Sunday.  I think its Monday in Bangkok.”

“Yeah.  We’ll be leaving Hong Kong and coming home on Thursday…some kind of change of plans.  I don’t even remember, and I know when I get home all I’ll do is sleep for a day and won't even know what day I'm missing.  Kiss and hug our baby boy for me.”

“I always do.  I love you so much Nancy.”

“I know, I…hold on.  Yeah Doug, come in.  I have to get going.  I’ll try to call later and accept my apology now for the time differences.”

Lauren never cared what time she called.  As long as she got to hear her voice.

“Send me a smile Nancy.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few moments.

“Did you get it?” the National Security Advisor asked.

“Pitiful.” Lauren said.  “Doug is probably looking at you like you are insane right now.”

Nancy laughed.

“He always looks at me like that.  When it changes I’ll know the world is coming to an end.”

“I got you to laugh.” Lauren said.

“I know, whole point of the exercise…I know all your tricks.  I love you baby and I will see you soon.”

Not soon enough, they both thought but did  not say.

“OK, go, before I won't let you.” Lauren said.  “We’ll talk later.”

“Bye Lauren.”

“Bye.”

Lauren waited until Nancy had hung up to put the phone back on the receiver.  Then she fought back the tears that spilled hot down her cheeks anyway.  This was getting harder, and they both knew it and they had discussed it, and it was time to move on.  Nancy was not a quitter though, and nothing was going to make her resign.  She just had to wait three years and countless miles between them before they could be together without this.  They had survived more…it wouldn’t always be twelve days in Asia.  When she came home it would be like they were never apart, after the first awkward hours.

“Mummy!”

She heard the voice of their son and she went out of the bedroom and down the stairs.  Fitz met her at the bottom; she picked him up and covered him with kisses as Brian watched from the living room.

“Kisses from mommy.  All of these are kisses from mommy.”

“Where is mommy?” he asked as she carried him toward the living room.

“Thailand today, who knows tomorrow.  But she misses you and she told me to hug and kiss you all day long.”

“Will she call?”

“Later, yes.  I promise Fitz…if not we call her.  OK?”

“OK.” His face brightened.  “I'm going to play games.”

“Good.  I have to get dressed and then go to the Library of Congress.  Is everything OK Brian?”

“We have it covered.  Go.”

“Thanks.”

Lauren went to get dressed; she had to keep going when it was like this because when she stopped she thought too hard and sometimes cried and she hated that.  She took a deep breath, grabbed jeans and a button down shirt from the closet and went on with her day.


End file.
